Gearing Up

It’s been awhile since we’ve posted here on our site, as we’ve been sharing updates mostly through word of mouth and social media at this point. As time goes on, though, we’ll be utilizing this site more often and posting about our personal experiences and ideas regarding Up To Earth, the environment, sustainability, and pretty much any other topic that tickles our fancy. So be on the look out for more blog posts here and please feel free to follow us here and on other social platforms.

As of right now, we’re gearing up for a very active spring and summer. We have some new ideas about how to implement our cleanups effectively and efficiently and get people involved, and I’ll be sharing those ideas as soon as they are ready to see the light of day!

In the mean time, I’ll share what I’ve been up to.

A few weeks ago I realized that, due to the state of Midwestern winter, it felt as if I hadn’t been outside to pick up trash in quite a long time. I spent a lot of that time taking care of other matters (or suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder). I have a PT job, a new dog, a girlfriend, friend and family obligations, house renovations, and I’m trying to launch a screen printing business this summer on top of all that!

So, when the weather got nice again I knew I had some catching up to do. I made a promise to myself, and to the Earth, that I would start doing daily cleanups on my own. In 8 days I’ve made what I feel to be a huge dent in specific locations. The Albany Mounds is one of my all time favorite sites in this area, and I feel a very strong connection to it, so it’s been a frequent spot for me this last week, and I can say that I believe I’ve picked up damn near every beer can or bottle on the whole property that is still above ground, despite the place being heavily wooded.

Since I’ve begun these #dailycleanups, I am flooded with the familiar feelings of joy in nature countered up against the disappointment in humans who do not treat the Earth with respect. Suddenly, though, I also am getting over that duality and finding that it’s much better to focus mental energy on what I can do to help, rather than dwelling on the negatives that humans collectively bring to the table. I also feel like I am not alone in this, and that, somehow, the people in this world that are on that same page, they are drawing nearer together and gaining strength daily! The most important things in life are always the things that help us to change, grow, and evolve, and work together, and in that way we are no different than all the life around us, provided that we embrace that and gear up for the changes that must come.